Ridgway carefully sifts the evidence surrounding Anne Boleyn's fall from the King's favor, her trial, and execution. I've read my fair share of Tudor history, but Ridgway still made several points new to me. For instance, although I knew the space of time between accusing Anne of adultery and her execution was short (less than a month!), I never realized that only days before the accusations Henry was still referring to Anne as his queen in writing and pushing for foreign courts to recognize her. And although I knew Cromwell had been instrumental in bringing accusations against Anne, I hadn't realized that they had differed not just over foreign policy and her destruction of his former master Wolsey, but also over the profits from the dissolution of the monarchies. (Cromwell wanted the money for the crown, while Anne argued that it should go toward poor relief.) Plus, I hadn't realized that the tower Anne lived in between being accused and being executed had been torn down in the 18th century. So much for making a pilgrimage to her former rooms!